She belongs to Delhi. Her score in matriculation was above 85 percent and in 10+2 she scored close to 90 percent, enough to prove her intelligence. Last year she burnt midnight oil to clear the entrance and get admission in a course and college of her choice not only in Delhi but also in the neighboring States. To her surprise she couldn’t apply in most of the colleges in other States because of domicile system. In spite of all the efforts she failed to get admission that year that forced her to opt another stream. This is not just a story of one student but many students in Delhi who go through the same pain every year during admission.
Now if we look at the idea of reserving seats for Delhiites in Delhi University from this perspective then the whole concept sounds right. Hence, being a Delhiite I must be given preference in Delhi-based colleges. Moreover, each year Delhi welcomes a number of families and people from all across India. This increases competition for the limited number of seats and resources. In this scenario, Delhiites can be favoured through reservation.
Preference for natives in States
Many students in Delhi are unable to get admission in the Capital because there is no centralized assessment system in India. Moreover, almost all the State universities give preference to their native students as they have domicile system that is nothing but a regionalism. Hence, the step of reserving seats for Delhiites in Delhi University might provide a short term relief to these students.
But personally I feel that the idea of reservation either caste or creed based (dominates in India) or location based is completely wrong. Reservation simply divides us.
A couple of months back, the University of Delhi (DU) had rejected the proposal made by State Government that asked for 90% reservation of seats for Delhiites seeking admission in graduation in colleges funded by the State Government. The reason DU cited for the rejection is that being a Central university it cannot provide reservation to students from one State in particular.
There are 86 colleges in Delhi out of which 12 are fully funded and 16 are partially funded.
On an average 30% of State funded and private institutes work on domicile system in India.
Political parties always play gimmick to attract voters by raising the issue of reservation and that too during election time. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has proposed 90% and 50% reservation for Delhi students in colleges that are fully funded and partially funded, respectively, by the Delhi Government.
In case the demand for 90% and 50% reservation is met then 13.95% and 18.60% of DU colleges will be covered respectively.
Reservation, US education, etc.
Majority of us think that any kind of reservation does more harm than good to the educational institute and society. The reservation is a big hurdle in case a college or a university wants to compete or meet international standards.
The DU at present is working hard to improve its position at the international level, although its genius is limited to aping certain benchmark universities in the US, where education has by and large been a private industry. However, of late there is an increasing realisation among the Americans that the prevailing parameters of the education system there had been set on other considerations.
Unnecessary reservation might hamper the speed. Reservation is nothing but a favoritism for students and does not even bolster growth. Instead of reservation, university must work on its infrastructure and increase the number of seats. Certain tremendously useful questions will come up here!
But by reserving seats we will limit the resources to one section of the society whereas all the citizens of India deserve equal education irrespective of caste, location, money etc. The Government must work to increase the number of seats and if possible it should abolish domicile system for a true educational system in India.
Looks difficult. But, in the end, all complex problems have always simple solutions! Who knows?
